Fountain pen

ABSTRACT

A FOUNTAIN PEN HAVING AN INTEGRAL NIBBLED-POINT AND SHELL PORTION PROVIDING GREATER COLLECTOR CAPACITY, A CLUTCH RING HAVING ELEMENTS ADAPTED TO EXTEND THROUGH OPENINGS IN THE INTEGRAL PORTION FOR FIRMLY ATTACHING THE PORTION TO INTERNAL PENSTRUCTURES AND FOR FRICTIONALLY RESISTING MOVEMENT OF A CAP ASSEMBLY WHEN SAID CAP IS COVERING THE POINT END OF THE PEN, ADJUSTABLE MEMBERS EXERT, A FORCE ON TINES COMPRISING THE NIB TO VARY THEIR SEPARATION FOR REGULATING VARIATIONS IN THE LINE BREADTH RESULTING FROM USE OF THE PEN.

Sept. 20, 1971 H. T. GREEN ETAL 3,606,556

FOUNTAIN PEN 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 29, 1970 Inventors J'lomen T.6 reerz.

Frederic k 'Rfw ittnebert W 2' Prl' vneg.

Sept. 20, 1971 GREEN ETAL 3 ,@6,556

FOUNTAIN PEN Filed April 1970 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 O IWIIIIQN N: um.

Sept. 20, 19W

H. T. GREEN ET L FOUNTAIN PEN 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed April 29, 1970 w T.Erma F ifizneert Sept. 20, 1971 E ETAL FOUNTAIN PEN 4 Sheets-Sheet 4Filed April 29, 1970 I Fill/a7!!! .6 i. iii I (A m mm m6 MT Frerick RJNittnebort United States Patent 3,606,556 FOUNTAIN PEN Homer T. Green,Milton, and Frederick R. Wittnebert,

Whitewater, Wis., assignors to The Parker Pen Company, Janesville, Wis.

Filed Apr. 29, 1970, Ser. No. 32,868 Int. Cl. B43k 1/02 US. Cl. 401-23122 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A fountain pen having an integralnibbed-point and shell portion providing greater collector capacity; aclutch ring having elements adapted to extend through openings in theintegral portion for firmly attaching the portion to internal penstructures and for frictionally resisting movement of a cap assemblywhen said cap is covering the point end of the pen; adjustable membersexert, a force on tines comprising the nib to vary their separation forregulating variations in line breadth resulting from use of the pen.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to writingpens and more particularly to improved means for regulating line widthof an improved pen gripping member.

Fountain pens are commonly distributed with a pen point for providingwriting having a preselected line width. Because writing is a personalmatter, fountain pen manufacturers necessarily are required tomanufacture a wide range of pen points for meeting the many line breadthrequirements of their various customers. Frequently, a prospectivepurchaser will try many different pen points before he makes a choice.If the nib or point supplied with a pen is unsatisfactory, it must bechanged. This present practice requires that both manufacturer anddealers invest large sums of capital because of having to stock nibs ofmultiple sizes and configurations. Such pen con struction also affects auser because once changed, the user is still confined to producing aline of one width. It may be necessary for some present pen users tokeep a number of pens on hand which are in good writing condition forsituations requiring a variety of writing characteristics, such as forledger entries, general script, signatures and other uses.

Some writers would like to personalize their writing by emphasizingportions thereof or even to inject line width variations on an impulsivewhim. Although pen points providing line breadth variations are broadlyknown in the art, their operation is generally complicated and requiresprecise interaction between numerous parts. This invention, by providingmeans for accurately, easily and rapidly varying nib tine separationwith a minimum number of parts, overcomes the disadvantages associatedwith earlier models and substantially reduces pen manuafcturing andmaintenance costs.

Fountain pens usually include a shell member or special collector shellof plastic or other material requiring a relatively thickcross-sectional construction and which cooperate with a collector havingstorage cells for pulling ink by capillary action from ink feed passagesinto the storage cells upon the incident of a flooding condition. By

"ice

providing an integral or unitary nib-collector shell of meta1 having arelatively thin wall section directly adjacent annular fin portions ofthe collector of this invention, the total available ink storage area isincreased.

It is further necessary in the assembly of many fountain pens fortedious hand labor is required to thread and/or glue associated portionsof the pen together. Such an operation is time consuming and expensive.This invention simplifies assembly.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION With the foregoing in mind, it is a principalobject of this invention to provide a simple and efficient fountain pen.

A further object of this invention is to provide improved means forreadily adjusting nib tine separation to vary the width of a writtenline.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an ink controldevice or adjuster for allowing a relatively faster or slower flow ofink whenever a writer chooses to alter his writing stroke.

A feature of this invention is to provide an integral for- Ward unit fora fountain pen having one sleek sweep of metal from the tip of the pointto the end of the barrel.

Another object of this invention is to provide a fountain en having anovel writing nib constructed to enable the use of an unusuallyeffective means for feeding ink to the nib.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a fountain pen havingportions of exceedingly simple construction which can be assembledquickly and yet are not easily, accidentally disarranged during normaluse of the pen.

An additional feature is the provision of an increased capacity forretaining a supply of ink during an emergency.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide an integralnib-shell easily connectable to other pen portions and wherein anenlarged ink collector is enclosed and the tines of the nib areresiliently deflectable for selectable adjustment to change the width ofa writing stroke.

Further objects and features as Well as advantages of this inventionwill become apparent as the following description of an illustratedembodiment thereof proceeds and is given for the purpose of disclosureand is taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which likecharacter references designate like parts throughout the several views.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a fountain pen incorporating the principles ofthis invention with a cap on the barrel end thereof;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the pen shown in FIG. 1, showing the capclosing the writing end thereof;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, vertical sectional view through the cap shown inFIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional view through the fountain penshown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged top plan view of a collector of this invention;

FIG. 6 is an end view taken along the line 6-6 of FIG. 5 looking in thedirection indicated by the arrows;

FIG. 7 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 7-7 of FIG.looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

FIG. 8 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 88 of FIG. 5looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

FIG. 9 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 99 of FIG. 5looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

FIG. 10 is an enlarged foreshortened elevational view of an integralnib-collector shell incorporating the principles of this invention;

FIG. 11 is an end view taken along the line 1111 of FIG. 10 looking inthe direction indicated by the arrows;

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary top plan view of the nib end of the integralnib-collector shell shown in FIG. 10;

FIG. 13 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 1313 of FIG.10 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

FIG. 14 is an enlarged end elevational view of a clutch ringincorporating the principles of this invention;

FIG. 15 is a side elevational view taken along the line 15--15 of FIG.14 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

FIG. 16 is an enlarged foreshortened top plan view of an adjusting leverincorporating the principles of this invention;

FIG. 17 is a side elevational view of the adjusting lever shown in FIG.16, partly broken away and including a rotated sectional view of aportion thereof;

FIG. 18 is an end view taken along the line 1818 of FIG. 16 looking inthe direction indicated by the arrows;

FIG. 19 is an enlarged vertical sectional view through a feed-connectorassembly incorporating the principles of this invention;

FIG. 20 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 2020 of FIG.19 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

FIG. 21 is an end view taken along the line 2l21 of FIG. 19 looking inthe direction indicated by the arrows;

FIG. 22 is a fragmentary top plan view of the feeding end of theassembly shown in FIG. 19;

FIG. 23 is a vertical sectional view on a further enlarged scale takenalong the line 2323 of FIG. 19 looking in the direction indicated by thearrows; and

FIG. 24 is an end view taken along the line 2424 of FIG. 19 looking inthe direction indicated by the arrows.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring now to the several figures and first toFIG. 1 there is shown a complete fountain pen the pen is shown as itappears in use with a writing end thereof exposed in FIG. 1 and with acap assembly 32 protecting the writing end in FIG. 2. The pen includesthe cap assembly 32, a barrel assembly 34 and a gripping member 36.

The cap assembly 32 (FIG. 3) includes an outer, open-ended, generallycylindrical shell 38, formed of titanium metal or other suitablematerial. One open end of the shell 38 is closed by a tubular inner cap4-0 positioned inside the shell and internally proportioned to snuglyreceive the gripping member 36. Adjacent the forward open end of theinner cap 40 there is an annular, inwardlybowed, resilient surface 42for yieldable gripping engagement of the outer surface of the grippingmember 36. The closed end of the inner cap 40 has an opening 44 which isinternally threaded for reception of a clip screw 46. A threaded portion48 of the clip screw 46 engages in the threaded opening 44 and retains aclip member 50 on the cap assembly 32. A circumferential flange portion52 extends from the clip screw 46 for receiving a decorative, clip screwtassie 54. The open end of the shell 38 is provided with an annular thinwall section 56 into which an annular cap band 58 is mounted. The band58 may be press-fitted or otherwise secured within the thin Wall sectionof the shell adjacent the open end. The cap band extends into the shellmember for approximately one-third of the length of the thin wallsection 56 to form an annular depressed space 60 between an inner sidewall 59 of the band and a re-entry wall 61 at the inner end of section56. In the illustrated embodiment the cap band 58 is of nickel-silvermetal but brass or other similar material is acceptable. The feature offorming the band of a material different from the cap, barrel andgripping member materials is of importance for minimizing abrasiondamage as the cap is moved longitudinally of and secured releasably oneither the barrel assembly 34 or the gripping member 36 depending onwhether the writing instrument is being used or not.

As shown in FIG. 4, the barrel assembly 34 connects to the grippingmember 36 and includes a generally cylindrical open-ended barrel 62formed of titanium metal or other suitable material. An inwardly facingflange 64 formed at one end of the barrel engages and holds a decorativebarrel tassie 66 which also closes the end of the barrel. A barrel liner68 is provided with a threaded wall section 70 and is cemented insidethe barrel 62. An annular barrel band 72 is press-fit or otherwisesecured inside the open end of the barrel in a position closely adjacentthe open end of the liner 68. The barrel band 72 includes an outwardlyextending flange 74 corresponding generally to the outside diameter ofthe barrel 62 and lying closely adjacent to and covering the annular endsurface thereof.

The inner surface of the barrel liner 68 is proportioned to receive andhold a replaceable ink reservoir or cartridge 76. It should beunderstood, however, that the barrel liner is also adapted to receive asimilarly configured refillable ink reservoir. Each type of reservoirhas advantages which make it particularly suited for certainapplications but less suitable for other applications. For example, thereplaceable cartridge 76 makes it extremely easy to replenish an inksupply for the pen by simply removing a spent cartridge and inserting afull, replacement cartridge. A refillable reservoir using ink from abulk supply substantially diminishes costs. Because the pen of thisinvention can be used with either type reservoir, it has the advantageof versatility for a fountain pen user, yet the manufacturer of the pencan make one basic pen.

The gripping member 36 which also is formed of titanium metal or othersuitable material substantially surrounds ink feed means 78 which areadapted to transport ink from the reservoir 76 toward a pellet 80 at theouter free or writing end of the gripping member 36. The ink feed means78 comprises a connector 82 (FIGS. 4 and 19) having an externallythreaded rear end portion 84 which co-acts with the internally threadedwall section 70 of the barrel liner 68 for connecting the barrelassembly 34 to a module of the gripping member 36 and the feed meanscontained therein. Preferably the connector is formed of any of the manysuitable plastics used for this purpose.

The connector 82 also functions to mount the cartridge 76 in the pen andto couple said cartridge to a feed 86. To accomplish the mounting andconnection, the connector includes a centrally disposed, axiallyextending tubular portion 88 having a rearward end 90 oriented at anangle to the axis of the pen for providing a sharp, knife-like surfaceto cut through a collar 92 forming one end wall of the replaceablereservoir 76. The collar 92 fits snugly over the tubular portionpreventing escape of ink from the reservoir along the outside wall ofthe tubular portion 88 yet providing communication with the ink supply.The collar 92 extends partially into an annular recess 93 formed in theconnector 82. As best shown in FIGS. 19 and 24, the feed 86 has alongitudinally extending, capillary feed groove 94 along which ink flowsfrom the cartridge 76 and replacement air flows into the cartridge.

In order to orient the connector and feed with respect to a collector 96also comprising the ink feed means, the three portions, namelyconnector, feed and collector, are cooperatively rabbeted. The feed hasshoulder portions 87 which are aligned with and lie adjacent toshoulders 83 (FIG. 21) of the connector 82; both of which shoulder sets87 and 83 are adapted to be received into a shouldered opening 97 formedin the collector 96 (FIG. 6). A generally cylindrical portion of thefeed 86 extends into a bore 98 formed in the collector 96. The capillaryfeed groove 94 extending longitudinally of the axis of the pencommunicates with an annular weir chamber 100 of capillary dimensiondefined between the bore 98 of the collector and an annular channel 89formed of the feed 86.

The Weir is of capillary dimension and normally contains a supply ofink, however, the weir also functions to allow replacement air to bubblethrough the ink therein and thence along the feed grove 94 into thereservoir 76 to substantially equalize the pressure in the reservoir.-Ifa weir were not provided, a vacuum would be built up inside thereservoir until the pressure ditferential between atmospheric pressureand reservoir pressure became sufficiently great to inhibit further inkflow from the reservoir. This event would occur even though a supply ofink remained in the reservoir. To assure proper operation of the inkfeeding mechanism the necessary air is fed to the Weir chamber 100through an air feed channel 102 (FIG. 4) provided in the bottom of thecollector 96. Although the channel 162 communicates with the weir 100which is normally filled with ink, the channel is dimensionedsufficiently large so that ink does not flow into it and leak out of thepen.

Ink can leak out of a pen if there is a relatively rapid drop inatmospheric pressure. To prevent such an occurrence, the collector ofthis invention includes a number of radially extending, annular finswhich are closely adjacent to each other and which define capillarychambers 106 therebetween. The outer periphery of the fins lie closelyadjacent the inner wall of the gripping member. The feature of makingthe gripping member from metal having a wall section which is relativelythinner than the cross-sectional wall thickness of known plastic shellsalone or in combination with plastic collector shells now normallyrequired in fountain pens, is advantageous in that the ink holdingcapacity of the collector is greatly enhanced.

To transfer ink from the weir chamber 100 in the feed 86, the collectoris provided with slots 8 of capillary dimension. The slots operativelycommunicate with a pair of capillary feed grooves 110 extendinglongitudinally of the collector. The feed grooves 110 providecommunication passages for the ink to flow into the capillary chambers106 during an overflow condition. The collector also includes transverseink feeds 112 between the grooves 110.

The gripping member 36 (FIG. 10) includes a collector shell portion 114integrally formed with a nib 116 adapted for writing. The shell portion114 is generally hollow and conical with the integral nib extendingforwardly therefrom. During assembly, the gripping member is slidablelongitudinally of the pen to enclose the ink feed means. When theunitary nib-shell is assembled to the feed means, the internal wall ofthe nib-shell lies closely adjacent the collector fins to form asubstantial ink retaining area for emergency overflow situations.

The shell 114 includes circumferentially spaced openings 118. An annularresilient clutch member 120 (FIG. 14) having yieldable retainingelements in the form of lugs 122 directed radially outwardly andgenerally away from the axis of the pen is connected by bayonets 124 tothe connector. The ends of the bayonets 124- resiliently engage againsta shelf 126 in the connector to provide this attachment. The lugs 122are adapted to enter into the openings 118 for efficiently and simplyconnecting the gripping member to the feed means. During assembly 6 anannular washer 128 is seated between the connector and collector andforced into contact with the inside wall of the barrel portion toinhibit accidental ink leakage from that area of the pen.

The nib 116 includes a pair of adjacent, juxtaposed nib tines 130 whichare separated by a slit 132 having a pierce 134 formed at its closedend. The nib tines 130 are resilient and the pellet 80 at the end of thenib tines is fed ink via the slit 132. As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, thetines are resilient, cantilever beams which extend effectivelycoplanarly of the shell portion 114; in crosssection each tine is athin-walled segment or element of a cylinder With the concave internalwall thereof lying closely adjacent and partially surrounding thecollector 96.

A lever or regulating member 136 (shown in detail in FIG. 16) underlyingthe nib is adapted to rotate about a fulcrum 138 defined between thecollector and one end of the lever. An arm portion 140 of the leverincludes a pair of upstanding flanges 142 which define a longitudinalink channel. A slot 144 through the arm 140 and ink feed channels 145provide capillary communication for ink in the feeds 112 and grooves 116to flow into the ink channel of the lever 136 toward its tip 137 andthence into slit 132 to pellet 80. One each of the flanges 142 underliesone each of the tines with the tip 137 of lever 136 operatively engagingthe associated tines closely adjacent the writing ends thereof. Uponrotation of the lever 136, toward the tines, the tip 137 deflects thetines and angularly varies the slit width whereby a variable widthwriting line is obtainable from writing with the pen. The resultantdeflective movement of each tine from the pressure or force applied bylever 136 is generally perpendicular away from the center of thecylindrical segment. The resiliency of the tines returns them to theirnormal position when lever pressure is released. The bearing pointestablished between the tip of the lever 136 and the tines is also animportant feature of the ink feed system because it establishes goodfeed contact at the end of the feed channel defined between the flanges142; that is, at its farthermost point toward the pellet 80.

An adjusting member in the form. of a screw 146 is arranged on thecollector 96 to rotate the lever 136 with respect to the tines. Thescrew 146 is threaded into an angularly oriented threaded opening 148through the collector and includes an end surface engageable with thelever for effectively applying pressure against the lever by screwaction. Movement of the screw 146 in one direction, that is, into theopening 148, rotates the lever relatively toward the nib tines andsimultaneously the nib tines are deflected relatively farther apart;screw movement in an opposed direction, that is, out of the opening 148,permits the nibs to resiliently deflect closer together forsimultaneously rotating the lever relatively toward the screw. The innersurface. of the head of screw 1 46 is engageable with a shoulder 150' onthe collector to limit the internal screw movement. A retaner 152adjacently underlying the lever 13 6 includes a yoke 154 which engages aheaded portion 156 on the screw for limiting the withdrawal of the screwfrom the collector. The screw is movable between these two locations.Another mechanical means having a surface adapted to impart the desiredmovement to the lever 136 may be substituted for the screw arrangementillustrated.

Thus, it will be appreciated that all of the recited objects, advantagesand features of the present invention have been demonstrated asobtainable in a highly practical fountain pen and one that is not onlysimple and positive in operation, but also inexpensive and easy tomanufacture. It will be further understood that although the inventionhas been described with respect to containing specific embodimentsthereof, it is not limited thereto, since various modifications of saidinvention will suggest themselves from the aforesaid description and areintended to be encompassed within the scope of the appended claimswherein there is claimed:

1. A writing pen comprising a nib including resilient tines spaced by anopen slit having a closed end;

a lever underlying the tines, said le ver being adapted to rotate abouta fulcrum; and

an adjusting member arranged on the pen to rotate the lever relative tothe nib for variably separating the tines, whereby a variable widthwriting line is obtainable from writing with the pen.

2. A writing pen as claimed in claim 1 wherein a free end of the leveroperatively communicates with the tines adjacent the open end of theslit.

3. A fountain pen having a communicating ink reservoir and ink feedmeans and comprising a gripping member including resilient nib tinesseparated by a slit having a pierce at its closed end; an adjustablelever underlying the tines, said lever being rotatable about a fulcrumon the ink feed means; and

a regulating member arranged to pivot the lever relative to the nibs forvarying separation between the tines, whereby a variable width writingline is obtainable from writing with the pen.

4. A writing pen as claimed in claim 3 wherein a free end of the leveroperatively communicates with the tines adjacent the open end of the nibslit and the lever includes a longitudinal ink channel having one end incapillary communication with the nib slit for feeding ink from the feedmeans to said slit.

5. A writing pen as claimed in claim 4 wherein the regulating membercomprises a screw for effectively varying a pressure force against thelever by screw action.

6. A writing pen as claimed in claim 5 wherein the lever comprises apair of upstanding flanges to define the ink channel, each of theflanges underlies a separate one of the tines, and the tip of eachflange operatively engaging its associated tine.

7. A writing pen as claimed in claim 6 wherein the gripping memberfurther includes a shell portion integrally formed with the tines andthe pen further comprises a resilient clutch member connected to thefeed means, said clutch member having engaging elements directedradially outwardly away from the axis of the pen and said shell portionbeing adapted to be engaged by the engaging elements for attaching thegripping member to the pen.

8. A writing pen as claimed in claim 7 wherein the shell portion isformed with openings and the engaging elements are flanges adapted to bereceived into the openings.

9. A writing pen as claimed in claim 8 wherein the pen includes a capwhich is slidable longitudinally of the pen to cover the nib tines, thecap comprising means interengageable with said flanges for securing thecap in removable engagement on the pen.

10. A writing pen as claimed in claim 9 wherein said interengaging meanscomprises a circular band fixed inside the cap adjacent the open endthereof.

11. A writing pen as claimed in claim 10 wherein the gripping member isof titanium material and the circular band is of nickel-silver material.

12. A writing pen as claimed in claim 10 wherein the ink feed meansincludes an overflow ink collector having a plurality of radiallyextending annular fins defining a plurality of capillary chamberstherebetween and an inner wall of the gripping member is positionedclosely adjacent the periphery of the fins whereby said chambers retaina substantial charge of ink during an overflow situation.

13. A writing pen comprising, in combination, feed means which includesan overflow ink collector having a plurality of annular fins defining aplurality of capillary chambers thcrebetwecn;

a gripping member including an integral nib-shell and being generallyhollow and conical with the nib integrally extending from the shell, theinternal wall of the shell lying closely adjacent the periphery of thefins forming an ink retaining area, the nib including juxtaposed tineswith a slit between adjacent tines, said tines being resilientlydeflectable for varying the width of the slit;

a lever having a feed channel operative to feed ink from the feed meansto the nib slit; and

an adjusting screw having a surface engageable with the lever foreffectively applying pressure against the lever by screw action, thelever being rotatable, and movement of the screw in one directionrotates the lever relativly toward the tines and simultaneously thetines are deflected farther apart and movement in an opposed directionpermits the tines to resiliently deflect together and rotate the leverrelatively toward the screw, whereby a variable width writing line isobtainable from writing with the pen.

14. A writing pen as claimed in claim 13 wherein the nib-shell hascircumferential openings and the pen further comprises an annularresilient clutch member having yieldable elements directed radially awayfrom the axis of the pen and disposable in the openings for retainingthe nib-shell on the pen; and a cap adapted to slide longitudinally ofthe pen for covering the nib-shell and including a circular band fixedinside the cap and engageable with said yieldable elements for securingthe cap in removable engagement on the pen.

15. A fountain pen including ink feed means, a shell surrounding thefeed means and a clutch member connecting the shell to the feed means,said clutch member comprising yieldable retaining elements directedradially outwardly generally away from the axis of the pen, the shellhaving openings therethrough disposed for receiving the retainingelements.

16. A fountain pen as claimed in claim 15 further including a capmovable longitudinally of the pen over the shell, the cap comprisingmeans interengageable with said retaining elements for removablysecuring the cap on the pen.

17. A fountain pen as claimed in claim. 16 wherein the interengageablemeans is a circular band fixed inside of the cap adjacent the open endthereof.

18. In a fountain pen of the type adapted to contain a supply of ink andhaving ink feed means including a collector having a plurality ofcapillary chambers between a plurality of annular fins; the improvementcomprising in combination;

a gripping member including a nib integrally formed I with a shell andmounted about the ink feed means,

the shell being conical and the integral nib extending therefrom, theshell having a thin wall with an internal surface closely adjacent theperiphery of the fins forming a substantial ink retaining area in thecapillary chambers, the nib including adjacently disposed tinesseparated by a slit having a closed rear end, the free end of each tinebeing adapted for writing, the tines being resiliently separable aboutthe closed end of the slit;

an adjusting lever having a longitudinal ink channel,

the lever underlying the nib tines and being rotatable about a fulcrumon the ink feed means, the free end of the lever engaging and underlyingthe free end of the tines, the tip of the lever being operative to exerta force against the tines for varying the deflection of the tines, and

a regulating member arranged to rotate the free end of the lever,whereby a writing line of variable width is obtainable from writing withthe pen.

19. A fountain pen as claimed in claim 18 wherein the regulating memberis a screw having a surface engageable with the adjusting lever, andmovement of the screw in one direction rotates the free end of the levertoward the tines for simultaneously deflecting the nibs farther apartand movement of the screw in an opposite direction permits the nibs toresiliently deflect together for simultaneously rotating the levertoward the screw.

20. A fountain pen as claimed in claim 19 wherein the shell of thegripping member includes openings and the combination further comprise aclutch member having yieldable elements adapted for disposition in theshell openings for attaching the gripping member to the pen.

21. A fountain pen as claimed in claim 20 wherein the pen includes a capadapted for longitudinal movement to cover the gripping member, the capcomprising means interengageable with the yieldable elements of theclutch member for retaining the cap in removable engagement on the pen.

22. A fountain pen as claimed in claim 21 wherein the interengagingmeans comprises a band attached to the inside of the cap adjacent theopen end.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 881,2'15 3/1908 Wurdemann 40l2311,689,142 10/1928 Kohler 401-2131 1,980,159 11/1934 Back 401-2312,669,224 2/ 1-954- Miessner 40123 1X LAWRENCE CHARLES, Primary ExaminerUS. Cl. X.R.

